Daytime, Nighttime
by Aylinn
Summary: Someone's been stealing from the wealthy and giving thier loot to the poor. S/M I/K (Revised) Rated PG-13 for language
1. Chapter One: Beginning

Disclaimer: Inuyasha was not created by me...this is only a fanfic of the series nods vigorously  
  
---  
  
Daytime, Nighttime  
  
Chapter One: Beginning  
  
The Shikon was a sparkling city resting comfortably on top of a grassy hill. Its streets and stores were filled with people both young and old. Most people there lived comfortably and never had to worry about where they should live, what clothes they could wear, and where they could find their dinner. Those people were very lucky, for the lord of the province had chosen Shikon for his home. He had a rather large amount of money in his hands, and had many of the city's citizens working in his home. The servants were paid well and were often given the clothes that the lord's cousins had outgrown. Thus, they were well dressed and well fed.  
  
Just below Shikon, beyond the forests, a mountain, and a barren plain was the small town of Kyuushigai. This town was old and filled with weak and aging people. The bright paint that used to make the town bright and cheerful was now dull and peeling. Vegetation was scarce, and Lord Sesshoumaru (who also owned this town), often had to send some food over. The food he sent was never enough to last through winter. The healthier people of Kyuushigai had grown up and left the mundane town in hopes of finding adventure. The few people left were too young, too poor or too frail to move away from the town. Unlike Shikon, people of this city lived each day worrying about where they could find their next meal, and whether their house was going to crumble or not. Sorry to disappoint you, but THIS lousy town, filled with old and decrepit people, is where the fanfic starts.  
  
---  
  
"Kagome! Kagome! Did you bring back food and toys for Haruki-Chan? How was Shinju? Is it as pretty and shiny as Kiwako-san told us?"A giggling boy tugged on the sleeve of the raven-haired girl. His sister, Mai jumped and danced around her elder.  
  
Kagome laughed along with the kids and looked at her cousin. They had gone so far to get supplies for the town. Everyone knew that the lord of their small town worked hard to rule and care for his province, but the food he gave them never lasted long. Just last winter, the rice he had sent them ran out by the end of the second month. The people in town had to spend the next week and three days in hunger. "Sorry, no toys for Haruki-chan, but I promise I'll play with you tomorrow, 'kay?" She ruffled the kid's hair and led the cows and wagon to the shelter. The wagon full of food might not last through winter alone, but added with Sesshoumaru's provisions, it should.  
  
"Kagome..." she heard when she exited the shelter, "Where did you and Sango get all this food? You know we could never afford this much..." Her grandmother Kiwako stared up at her with furrowed eyebrows.  
  
Kagome sighed, "Gramma...you know we could. And just the other day, I found a pendant just the other day on the ground. Sango used it to buy the food." She grinned cheerfully, hoping the elderly lady wouldn't keep questioning her.  
  
She didn't, but Kiwako continued to look at her doubtfully. Finally, she said, "Alright then, if you say so...But don't do this next year---you KNOW we could never afford this stuff. Our town can handle a few weeks of hunger, no big deal." Kiwako kept mumbling as she hobbled into the house.  
  
Kagome tensed up again when she heard the yell, "Kagome! Come to the kitchen NOW! We have some customers!" She sighed and obeyed the command. She was a bit curious though, not a lot of customers came these days. The few who came were usually not part of this town.  
  
She hurriedly changed into her blue yukata and entered the dining room. "Good evening! I'm Kagome, your waitress for the day. What would you like to order? Our dinner special is fried---"  
  
"I don't care what your dinner special is---does this place sell ramen? It doesn't look like it does...and that other waitress forgot to give me chopsticks! Stupid wench," said the rude, white-haired boy.  
  
Why are customers always so idifficult/i? Kagome fought the urge to frown, and reminded herself that this man was a customer, and that she should treat her customers nicely in order to get money from them.  
  
She smiled weakly, "Eh, we do, and I'll get the chopsticks for you when I return with the ramen. What would you like? Houshi-sama?" Kagome asked. She assumed the man was a monk by his attire.  
  
"I'll take some fried rice, no meat please," said the purple-robed monk.  
  
She kept the stupid grin on her face until she entered the kitchen. Once she was sure the door was closed, she slammed her hand on the table and rubbed her forehead. She sighed and looked for Sango. The girl wasn't there, so she had no one to rant to. Bummer.  
  
Within a few minutes, the noodles were done and Kagome was starting to get the rice out of the frying pan. She heard movement behind her and whipped around to see her cousin.  
  
"Hey. Kiwako doesn't believe our 'we found the pendant on the ground' story. Just to make sure our story fits together, we found the pendant by the river, right?"  
  
Kagome dropped the ladle and gasped, "You SAID that to her? There are no rivers near Shinju!"  
  
Sango slapped her forehead and mumbled, "I forgot. Darn." After a few seconds of silence, she grinned weakly and said, "Grandma has bad memory...perhaps she'll forget by tomorrow?"  
  
Kagome frowned, but her thoughts were interrupted by the smell of the rice. "Oh right! The food, Sango, could you help me carry the rice? I don't' want to spill the ramen."  
  
---  
  
"About time you brought the food, wench, is this restaurant always so slow?" the white-haired boy grumbled, he picked up his chopsticks and started filling his face with the food.  
  
Resisting the urge to slap the impatient customer, Kagome reminded herself of his money and smiled cheerfully at the monk. "Enjoy your food."  
  
As Sango placed the rice onto the table, Kagome noticed the monk grinning at her cousin, and raised an eyebrow. The monk casually stretched his arms, and Kagome watched with dread as one of the houshi's hands went behind Sango. A 'wham' resounded loudly throughout the restaurant, and Kagome gasped when the monk fell out of his chair.  
  
"Oh I'm so sorry, I thought there was a fly on your head." Sango said impassively as Miroku tentatively rubbed his head, "Would you like to return to your seat? I'm sure you wouldn't want to eat on the ground." Inwardly, she was seething at the monk's behavior. Only good manners kept her from beating the man to a pulp for groping her.  
  
Kagome watched as she white haired customer glared at the monk, as if he knew what had happened. 'So he does this all the time...and I thought the monk was a respectable man!'  
  
Just then, a bunch of men entered the restaurant and caused a lot of commotion. Kagome hurriedly left to usher them to their seats, and Sango, after giving Miroku a glare, retreated into the kitchen.  
  
---  
  
The restaurant is supposed to be closed. Kagome thought as she watched the group of drunken men. All the shops are closed...except for ours. She was cleaning one of the tables when she overheard the conversation among the group.  
  
"Where did you put it?" one of them was saying between hiccups.  
  
A companion of his said, "Under the temple."  
  
Curiosity got the better of her, and she moved to a table closer to theirs. She started wiping it with her rag, but her attention was focused on the conversation.  
  
"Today is our lucky day!" a burly man yelled, and the group yelled back, "Aye!"  
  
"Oi! More sake!" someone yelled, and held his cup towards Kagome. She turned towards the group, and they started thumping their hands on the table. "Sake! Sake! Sake!"  
  
"Okay-okay!" she yelled over the din and hurriedly took the jugs. When all the jugs were filled, she returned and placed the sake on the table.  
  
'How am I supposed to throw a group of drunken men out of a restaurant?'  
  
---  
  
"Psst! Sango!" Kagome said in the kitchen.  
  
"What? Heard something?" Sango asked. Kagome nodded urgently.  
  
"I'll wash the dishes and take care of the restaurant. I heard the group of drunks talking about something under the local temple. I think they have stolen treasure underneath. Will you please check the temple?"  
  
Sango looked around for eavesdroppers, and replied, "I'll go change then. If those drunks really have something under the temple, they might leave with it before tomorrow comes."  
  
Kagome nodded in agreement. "That's what I was thinking. Good luck then! Don't get caught!"  
  
Sango went into her room and locked the door. Under her bed were some armor and knives and daggers. She removed her kimono, revealing her black clothes, and strapped the armor around her stomach. Then she took a mask and used it to cover her nose and mouth. Finally, she took a hooded black cloak and used it to cover her pony-tailed hair. Sango opened her window, grabbed an unlit candle (and some matches), jumped out of her room, and left the restaurant/house.  
  
She located the temple and jumped onto its roof. There was a small courtyard, and she jumped into it. There was a door nearby and she opened it. On a large table inside the room was a Buddha statue surrounded with food offerings from the villagers and monks. 'Where is the cellar door?' Sango thought, and peeked inside a closet. There was a broom and some rugs, and under the broom was a door in the floor.  
  
---  
  
Miroku was meditating in his room when he thought he heard a creaking sound above. He opened his eyes and looked up. He swore he heard a slight tapping sound from the roof, but now there was no sound. He looked outside and thought, 'I should concentrate on keeping my mind clear, not on noises that aren't real. I should pray to the Buddha now.' He stood up and exited his room. The praying room was across the courtyard. He entered the room and went on his knees in front of the statue, he was about to start praying, but something caught his eye. The broom closet's door was open. Miroku was sure he closed it after sweeping the floor in the afternoon, so why was it open now?  
  
---  
  
Sango moved the broom away from the door, squat down, and examined the door for a latch. She found a handle and pulled it. The open door revealed steps leading downwards. Sango descended the steps until it was too dark for her to see. She fumbled for the candle and matches inside her shoe until she felt them and pulled them out. When she lit the candle, she was amazed at what was in the cellar. On the floor were the possessions of the villagers! There was a bag of money on the floor that looked almost empty, some cheap necklaces, bracelets, pretty clothes, leather boots, finished wooden statues that the woodcarver recently made, and baskets of vegetables---from Kiwako's storage room! She looked around for more items, and to her disgust, found some chickens with missing heads. The thieves left the chickens in a red, bloody pile. It was obvious no one thought about putting them in a bag.  
  
'Who would be cruel enough to take from the poor?' Sango thought, and wished that she got to beat up some of those drunks. Sighing, she wondered how she could possibly return all those items before the sun rises. Sango didn't have much time for thinking though.  
  
"Who's there?" A voice she recognized asked.  
  
'MIROKU? This is his temple? He lives here? How could he let the thieves place their loot here?' Sango wondered.  
  
"I said, who's there?!" Miroku asked again, and he walked down the stairs with a match. He seemed to be carrying something else, but Sango couldn't see the object clearly. As she was thinking, Miroku lighted a candle on the candle stand built into the wall.  
  
'UNLESS.he's part of the group of thieves, and he's just disguising as a monk! That cheating little.' Sango's eyes blazed. "You bastard! How dare you steal from the poor!" She yelled, and rushed at Miroku while pulling out her dagger.  
  
Miroku raised the other object he was holding: A staff. The staff came in contact with her hand, and she dropped the dagger in pain. The dagger fell on the steps, and before she could retrieve it, he kicked it into the darkness. Without another alternative, Sango raised her fists and moved to punch the monk. Before she could lift her fist for the second punch, Miroku grabbed it. She prepared to knee him, but his other hand caught her knee. That made her lose balance, and since they were on the stairs, she fell.  
  
She gasped as the two of them fell, and winced when her back came in contact with the ground. Taking a few moments to regain her senses, she realized the monk was on top of her. His left hand was still holding her hand, and his face was buried in her chest. Sango felt her face reddening, and she felt for an object to hit with. Her hand felt a cooking pot, which she used to repeatedly whack his head. "Pervert!" she half-yelled, and pushed him off of her. He was unconscious from the beatings, and Sango was able to make a quick escape out of the temple.  
  
---  
  
It was almost dawn when Kagome heard Sango enter the room. She got up from bed and saw her cousin close the window. Sango was panting as if she was running from someone, and she was.BLUSHING?! Kagome had never seen her cousin blush until today. "Sango, was there anything under the temple?" she asked, "And why is you face all red? It's as red as a tomato."  
  
"What? It's still red?" a pause, "Oh, I mean, why is it red? I didn't know that," was the lame cover-up.  
  
Kagome folded her arms and said in a disbelieving tone, "No really, what happened in that cellar?" Then her eyes twinkled mischievously, "Did you see someone you like?"  
  
"Nothing! I saw no one! I'm going to sleep!" Sango said, and crawled into her bed. She wasn't going to tell Kagome what happened, no matter what.  
  
---  
  
The next morning, Miroku woke up to a voice yelling, "OI! Miroku! Where the hell are you?"  
  
An elderly voice he recognized as Mushin's said, "Please, Inuyasha, I don't appreciate your language."  
  
"Feh, old man, are you sure he didn't slip out of the house while you were drinking your sake?" Inuyasha said in contempt.  
  
"I'm sure--" before Mushin could say anything else, he was rudely interrupted.  
  
"Quiet, I think I smell him." Inuyasha sniffed the air and went into the closet. "Did that fool sleepwalk into the cellar? Miroku! Wake UP! What are you doing on the ground? And what's with the---" the dog-demon covered his nose. He didn't like the scent of blood, even though it belonged to chickens. Miroku got up from his position and climbed the stairs.  
  
"Some thieves hid their loot under this temple. I heard one of them going into the cellar, so I tried catching her."  
  
"Feh. And you failed. How did you know that the thief was female? Actually, don't tell me. I know, you groped her didn't you? I see those lumps on your head."  
  
"Nice to see you care about me." Miroku said sarcastically. He asked Mushin, "Foster-father, is breakfast ready?"  
  
The old monk answered, "I couldn't find you, so I gave it to your friend."  
  
Miroku glared at Inuyasha, who sheepishly said, "Okay, okay, you can eat at a restaurant, I'll pay."  
  
Miroku's faces brightened, "In that case, let's go."  
  
Inuyasha groaned, "I knew you wanted to see those girls!"  
  
---  
  
Business wasn't good in Kyuushigai. Most people were too poor to afford eating from restaurants, farmers left for their fields before the restaurants open, and travelers usually don't arrive until late afternoon. Kagome stared outside with boredom. If only she was allowed to have a day off...before she knew it, she had dozed off.  
  
"Kagome!" her grandmother yelled, startling her awake. "Were you sleeping?" The stout old lady asked. Though Kagome was much taller than Kiwako, it always seemed like Kiwako towered over her when she was scolding her.  
  
"Of course not, grandmother," She lied.  
  
"Then help your cousin with her cooking." Kiwako muttered. Kagome timidly went into the kitchen.  
  
"What can I help you with, Sango?" she asked.  
  
"You got yelled at? No doubt you were sleeping. Well, help me with the vegetables." Sango said, and handed Kagome a knife. Kagome started chopping the vegetables. Then she placed them in a basket and went to the rice bags. If anyone wanted breakfast, they would most likely ask for porridge. Kagome put some rice in a water-filled pot, and warmed the water.  
  
A few minutes later, the porridge was done. "Sango, want some porridge? There's a lot of it." Kagome asked, and put some porridge in a small bowl. Sango nodded, and Kagome filled another bowl.  
  
They were about to start eating when they heard a voice yelling, "Oi! Anyone here?" Grumbling, Kagome went out of the kitchen and saw the white- haired guy and the monk. The monk had a black eye, and was rubbing a lump on his head. Kagome showed them a table for two, gave them menus, and asked what they wanted to eat. Inuyasha didn't seem to be in a good mood, but he never was.  
  
"Do you have porridge?" Miroku asked, and Kagome nodded.  
  
"Want tea with that?" Kagome asked, and Miroku nodded once. His jaw was also swollen.  
  
Kagome couldn't hold her curiosity any longer, and asked, "Houshi-sama, sorry for asking, but how did you get all those bruises?"  
  
"I fell down the stairs." "He got beaten up." Miroku and Inuyasha said at the same time. They looked at each other. Miroku then confessed, "Uh.I tried catching someone, but I landed on her. The thief started whacking me on the head."  
  
Kagome started to think.  
  
"That sounds a lot like what Sango would've don't too.wait! If he's a monk, then he lives in a temple. That means Sango was the thief he landed on. That's why she was blushing when she got back! I'm a genius! Mystery solved!"  
  
To Inuyasha, it seemed strange how Kagome was smiling at Miroku's misfortune.  
  
---  
  
Kagome went into the kitchen and put porridge in two big bowls. As she walked out of the kitchen, she winked at Sango and said, "I know what happened last night, you can't hide the truth from ME!" Sango could swear she heard a cackle from her cousin. Kagome stood on Inuyasha's side of the table and handed Miroku his porridge. As she was giving Inuyasha his porridge, he said, "You're always so slow. The old servants in my brother's house move faster than you."  
  
Veins popping, she 'lost' her grip on the bowl of porridge and spilled the hot contents on her insulter. "Ow! Bitch! What did you do that for?"  
  
Lying, she yelled, "Well, I'm afraid I'm also not as strong as your brother's servants, so I dropped it!" She walked off with her tray while saying, "Do you have to insert swear words into every sentence you speak?"  
  
"YES!" Kagome stopped walking and glared at him. "Especially when I'm talking to you, wench! Give me a damn towel!" Inuyasha yelled. One was flung at him, and he caught it.  
  
While Inuyasha was wiping the porridge off his shirt, Kiwako said, "You two need to lower your voices. Don't think I can't hear what the two of you are saying. You two argue like an old married couple."  
  
Indignant sputters were heard from both of them, and Kagome protested, "Why, Grandma Kiwako, I don't even know him!"  
  
"Feh! Why would I marry such an ugly person like her?"  
  
"Likewise!" Kagome yelled, and hurriedly ran into the kitchen.  
  
---  
  
That night, the two girls sneaked out to steal from the wealthy again. Kagome found a drunk, wealthy-looking man exiting the inn, and grabbed his purse. He was too sleepy to notice anything that was happening. While Kagome went to distribute the contents of the purse, Sango waited on top of a house. It would take a long time for Kagome to return.  
  
A frightened yell came from the alley next to the house she was on. Looking over the roof, she noticed the drunken thieves from yesterday. They were surrounding an old man. "Please, kind sirs, I'm just an old farmer returning from his fields." The old man was nervously rubbing his sore hands.  
  
One of the thieves snickered maliciously and drew his dagger. "How about this, you give us all yer' money and we won't kill yer'."  
  
"I-I have no money. It's all at my ho---" his throat was grabbed by huge hands, and he gasped for breath.  
  
"Liar!" the owner of the hands hissed.  
  
Unable to contain herself any longer, Sango yelled out, "Leave him alone, you cowards!" Her dagger was already in her hand.  
  
"Oh, a chick is going to beat us up?" one of the goons taunted.  
  
"Yes!" She declared, "Now let go of him!" The large man obliged. As soon as she knew the old man was a few feet away from the thieves, she jumped down from the roof and asked, "So which idiot should I fight first?" With a roar, all then of the thieves charged at Sango. It was a good thing only four of them carried weapons. Sango delivered a spinning kick to the first thief who reached her. With her own dagger, she knocked an armed thief's knife out of his hands. The shocked man stared at his empty hand, and before he knew it, he was punched out cold. Within a few more minutes, five more thieves were lying beaten and unconscious (go Sango! ) Sango faced the three leftovers who looked uncertainly at her. A swift punch to the stomach, and one fell down. She ran past him and dealt punches and kicks to the other two.  
  
She was about to strike a big, burly man on his neck when she heard someone yell, "You better stop!" Her hand froze and she looked to see that a man she assumed was unconscious was now holding the old man by his throat. It looked like the old man was dragged back to this alley. The old man's captor had his sword drawn out, a few centimeters away from the elder's throat. He grinned wolfishly and said, "Yeah, crazy girly thief, you better stop what you're doing and surrender...unless you want wrinkly face to die." His sword moved closer to the elder's throat, and the old man's eyes widened.  
  
---  
  
Er, to be continued?  
  
Read and review. Incase you were wondering, I edited the first few sections of this chapter. I'm doing the same with the other chapters too. 


	2. Chapter Two: Attack

Daytime, Nighttime Chapter 2  
  
.  
  
Sango gritted her teeth, but didn't strike the big man.  
  
"Hehe.now let us tie you up. Extend your arms, girl!" a scrawny thief said while pulling a rope out of his pocket.  
  
There was a yell, and Kagome dropped down from the roof behind old man's captor. Before he could react, Kagome took a hold on his sword hand, pushed it away from the old man's neck, and pulled the old man away from the leader's grasp. When the captor snarled and raised his sword, Kagome yanked her own sword from its sheath. She didn't want to wound the thief. She kept defending herself from the attacks and backing up until she bumped into something---a wall.  
  
"Haha, DIE!" The thief yelled, and swung his sword. Kagome screamed and blocked it. The good thing was, she didn't get her head chopped off. The bad thing was, the thief was stronger than her, and was pushing his sword closer to her neck every second. There was nothing else she could do. Closing her eyes, she took out the hidden knife in her sleeve and jabbed it into the man's chest. The dead man fell on top of her, and she stifled a shriek.  
  
The remaining thieves scrambled away, and Sango ran to Kagome. "You're not hurt, are you?" She asked as she pushed the corpse off of her cousin. Kagome weakly shook her head.  
  
"I killed someone---I-I-I-didn't mean to." Kagome stuttered.  
  
"I know you didn't, but you had no choice." Sango said comfortingly. Then she looked at the old man and asked him, "Could you tell me where you live? I would like to assist you home." The old man nodded gratefully and they walked to his home.  
  
Before going in, the old man asked the girls, "Who are you? I would like to tell my family about my saviors."  
  
'Saviors?' Sango thought, and suppressed a smile. 'Not when you're stealing from the wealthy'  
"Tell them that we're angels from heaven." Kagome said.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Did you see that bitch? She killed Mukotsu!" One of the panting thieves said, leaning against a tree.  
  
"Yeah! She killed him with a hidden dagger!" another thief declared.  
  
"We need to tell the boss!" a third said.  
  
"Why?" asked a fourth figure who emerged from the darkness.  
  
"Bankotsu, Mukotsu was killed by another thief...a female! We were attacked by two thieves, and both fought like demons from hell!"  
  
"Really?" was an amused voice. "Fine, Jakotsu, go to Shikon.alert Naraku."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Since the old man told his friends and family about the 'Angels', the wealthy people heard the rumors and put up signs that offered 10,000 yen or more for the girls' capture. At first Kagome and Sango were amused by this, but after a few days, bounty hunters started arriving. The hunters stayed up during the night and made it more difficult for the cousins to go on their nighttime trips. The wealthy were robbed less often, and finally the number robbed per week went down to none at all.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
On a cloudy day, Kagome and Sango were sent out by their grandmother to get some food. They took their bow and arrows and went into the forest to get some deer. A little deeper in the woods, they found a lost man.  
  
"Greetings, ladies, do you know where the nearest village is? I'm a messenger from Shikon City." the man dressed in velvet said.  
  
"Oh, it's that way!" Kagome said, and pointed at the direction behind her. The messenger thanked her and bowed low before heading South.  
  
"Well, that was strange, who in the village is important enough to get a messenger? I mean, the village chief hasn't gotten a letter from Shikon in almost three years." Sango remarked as they continued walking down the path. Kagome stopped abruptly and closed her eyes as if she was concentrating on something.  
  
"What?" Sango asked, "Do you hear something?"  
  
Kagome looked at her cousin with worried eyes, "No, but I sense demons, twenty or more.and they aren't the good type." She looked back at the village. "They're getting closer every minute." Sango didn't sense any demons, but she didn't doubt her cousin. The girls' ancestors were demon hunters---though Kagome's ancestors were mostly mikos. Kagome inherited the holy powers while Sango had received the exterminator's endurance and strength.  
  
Sango frowned and said "Forget about hunting, we need to alert the villagers!" She grabbed Kagome's wrist and started running back to the village.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Inuyasha was half-listening to the messenger who was reading the letter to him. The messenger was sent by his mother, whose letters usually contained motherly advice.like how to be polite, to take a bath daily, how she missed her 'little boy', etc. His thoughts were interrupted when the messenger asked, "Well, Inuyasha-sama, what's your reply?"  
  
"Eh?" Inuyasha was confused, his mother never asked questions in her letters. "What was the question?"  
  
The messenger answered him, "She wants you to go back to Shikon City. Your brother, Lord Sesshomaru also wants you back."  
  
"Sesshoumaru? Why the hell would he want me to come back?" Inuyasha asked scornfully.  
  
"I'm not sure, but are you going back Inuyasha-sama?" the messenger asked. Inuyasha glared at him, and the messenger stepped back.  
  
"Feh." Inuyasha crossed his arms, "I'll be back in a few days." The messenger nodded and sprinted out the back door.  
  
"But sir!" he heard a feminine voice say, "I'm SURE they are arriving!" Inuyasha perked up his ears and listened intently to the conversation on the opposite side of the wall.  
  
"Ladies, I don't have time for this.can't you see? I'm busy signing legal documents! Find someone else to tell your gossip! Anyway, you have no proof, and who's there to back you up? Surely no one would bother to listen to a pair of girls!" he heard his uncle say.  
  
"They're demons though.arriving from the---"  
  
"If you two don't leave right now, I will have to call the guards to take you away!" Inuyasha heard his uncle say. One of the girls sighed, and he heard footsteps retreating. He wondered who the girls were. His uncle was the village chief, and he got many visitors, but they were rarely women.  
  
"We'll get the demons by ourselves then!" one of the girls whispered.  
  
"Tonight in the forest.they'll be coming from that direction." The other girl said. They left the building and their voices were out of hearing range.  
  
'Crazy girls.they can't even hurt a fly' he thought. If demons were really arriving, he would've smelled them by now.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"And we're going to get them in the forest before they get to the village!" Kagome announced to Kiwako, who listened to the cousins' story.  
  
The elderly woman nodded and told Sango, "Take care of your cousin. I'm not sure if I should let the both of you go.but you're grown up, and these are your own decisions." Kiwako said, and stood up from her sitting position. She walked into her room and came out with a large boomerang and placed it on the floor. While Sango and Kagome were looking interestedly at the boomerang, Kiwako went back to her room and took out bow and arrows.  
  
"Kagome, you're the better archer, so I give you my old bow. The string stretches further, and the bow is made of demon bone, so it's more difficult to break. These arrows are sharper than the ones you used while hunting normal animals. The normal arrows will not be able to puncture the demon skin, but these will. I think I've taught you enough that you would be able to add some miko powers into the arrow as you shoot it." Kiwako explained to Kagome, who thanked her and picked up the bow and arrows.  
  
"Sango, this boomerang is called the Hiraikotsu. It was used by your great grandmother. It 's made of demon bones, and is difficult to break. The strap---"she fingered the strap going down the boomerang, "is used for travel. You put it on your back so you don't need to hold it." Sango's eyes widened at the thought of being able to use the Hiraikotsu. She had seen and admired it in her grandmother's room ever since she arrived at the restaurant.  
  
"Thank you. grandmother." Sango said. She lifted the boomerang and noticed that it was not too heavy nor too light. "I'll use it tonight."  
  
"I'm sure you will. Don't forget your training." Kiwako looked at the setting sun and said. "I wish you two luck, though I'm sure you won't need it."  
  
Sango nodded and walked to the door. She opened it and stepped out. Looking behind her, she said, "Kagome, let's go; the forest is very far and the sun has already set." Kagome, who was hugging her grandmother, pulled away from the hug and ran out the door with her bow in hand.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Miroku was disturbed from his meditating by sharp rapping on the door and a gruff voice calling, " Miroku! Open the damn door!" Sighing, he grabbed his staff, stood up, walked to the door and opened it. A clawed hand grabbed his arm and dragged Miroku out of the temple.  
  
"Wha-what?" he asked, and he realized that they were approaching the forest. "Why are we going there?"  
  
"I think some trouble is going to occur. I overheard some people talking to my uncle about some demons arriving at night. I thought they were lying until I smelled them a while ago. The demons are approaching." Inuyasha said. Miroku's confused expression turned grim, and he tightly gripped his staff.  
  
"Then let's enter the forest." Miroku said, and walked in. Inuyasha ran ahead, and ducked behind the bushes, as if he was planning to ambush the demons. Suddenly, there was a yell, and something whizzed past his ear.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
They had reached the forest a little later. The pack of demons was nearing the edge of the forest.extremely close to the village. The two cousins decided to wait for them to appear in the large clearing. Sango unshouldered her boomerang and stared intently at the trees, where she was sure the demons would appear. She took a quick glance at Kagome, whose arrow was already fitted on her bow. The bushes rustled, and expecting a demon to come out, she yelled and threw her boomerang. It whizzed past the bushes and missed a shadowed figure. It twirled in the air and returned to her.  
  
"You bitches! What did you throw that for? You missed Miroku's head by a foot!" was the familiar voice. Kagome's eyes widened with shock. From the bushes emerged Inuyasha and Miroku.  
  
"Inuyasha! What are YOU doing here?" she asked, but she glanced around, as if expecting demons other than the hanyou to attack the group.  
  
"Feh! I heard your conversation, dimwit! That's what you are, do you really think YOU could possibly beat---" his sentence was cut off when a roar came from behind him and a demon landed on the spot where he was. He would've been devoured had he not jumped out of the way. Miroku raised his staff and whacked the demon, and whipped out an ofuda charm. He placed it on the demon, who was instantly weakened.  
  
Sango threw the Hiraikotsu at the demons behind the one Miroku had just finished off. She unsheathed the sword at her waist and ran ahead, prepared to strike at the other demons. They were all weak demons, who would die if cut in half. Which was easy to do, as their skin was soft and without shells. She didn't look back as she dragged her sword across the demons she ran by. When there were no more demons ahead, she turned around and surveyed the path of fallen demons-none of them moved. "I'm good" she thought.  
  
Inuyasha didn't need to use swords. He slashed the enemy he saw with his claws, and continued onwards. He looked at Sango, and wondered how a mere village girl could be powerful enough to beat demons. Kagome wasn't that bad either. He saw many demons lying dead with arrows in them. He saw her string an arrow to fire it, and strangely, the arrow glowed a little pink. Then he saw movement behind the girl-a demon sneaking up on her.  
  
"Kagome look out!" he yelled as he watched the girl look at the demon with wide eyes. But she didn't move. Before he knew it, Inuyasha had Kagome in his arms, carrying her to safety.  
  
"Kyaaaaaaaa! Sango!" she screamed, thinking the demon got her. Inuyasha instinctively flattened his ears. A boomerang flew past his head, and came back at him. He ducked it, allowing it to get back to its owner.  
  
"Let go of my cousin, you bastard!" Sango yelled. She frowned at the retreating youkai. This wasn't one of the weaker ones, and she couldn't identify him. Raising the Hiraikotsu, she prepared to throw it at the demon again. This time she wouldn't miss.  
  
"Lady Sango, don't throw it," Miroku said as he hit away yet another demon. "It's Inuyasha, I'm sure of it." He concentrated on demons in a cluster, took out an ofuda, muttered some spells, and threw the ofuda at the group. Sango saw another demon and threw her boomerang at it. She watched it fall to the ground and twitch a bit. Finally it died, and she ran to retrieve her boomerang. When she got back to the clearing, she saw Miroku lying on the ground, and he seemed unconscious. Thinking he was wounded, she ran to him and knelt next to him.  
  
"Miroku! You stupid monk! How did you get yourself wounded?" she asked. There weren't anymore demons around, so it was impossible anything could make him unconscious. Then she felt a hand rubbing her rear, and her face turned red.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"There are no more demons around." Kagome stated as she jumped out of Inuyasha's arms.  
  
"Feh! No thanks to you!" Inuyasha replied. He surveyed the clearing and noticed the dead demons. Sango was killing the last one, and out of the corner of his eye, he watched Miroku lie down onto the ground. 'Stupid bouzou, what is he trying to do now?' The dog-hanyou thought.  
  
"Well, at least I got a few of the demons! How was I supposed to know one was about to attack me from behind?" Kagome yelled at him, breaking his concentration.  
  
"You should've been more alert then! You almost got yourself killed!" Inuyasha retorted.  
  
'He was worried about me?' Kagome thought---she was surprised. "Well thank you for saving me then." she said.  
  
"You---" Inuyasha was about to insult her again, but quickly stopped himself. He didn't think she would thank him. He felt his face turning red, and he turned around so she couldn't see him.  
  
Kagome heard a slap and turned around to see Sango walking away from Miroku. Her face was red, and Miroku had a nice handprint on his face.  
  
"Kagome, are all the demons gone?" Sango asked.  
  
"If they aren't, we would still be fighting, right? They've run away." Kagome answered.  
  
"Lady Kagome, which way did the demons retreat?" Miroku questioned her, his face looked worried.  
  
Kagome pointed south of the forest, "They went that---oh my gosh! That's the village!" She ran out of the clearing and towards the village. "They might've gone there to raid the village! We need to get there fast!" An arm went around her waist, and she was raised above the ground. "Inuyasha?" she asked, unsure who was holding her.  
  
"Who else? Don't' get the wrong idea; I'm only carrying you because you run too slow!" The hanyou said.  
  
As they approached the village, Kagome felt a pang of guilt. While she and Inuyasha were arguing, the demons had been attacking and ransacking the village. Now buildings lay in destruction, collapsed pieces of wood, and blood everywhere. She heard a baby cry from somewhere, but she couldn't tell where the cries came from. Then she remembered her grandmother. "Inuyasha! Please take me to the restaurant! I need to save my grandma!" Without replying, he started running again and soon approached the restaurant. It seemed fine, besides the fact that many villagers were lying dead around it, as if they had been running out of it. Entering the still standing building, Kagome hesitantly said, "Grandmother Kiwako?" There was a roar from underneath a table and Kagome screamed as a rat demon jumped out, claws and fangs extended. It was stopped by Inuyasha, who caught it and threw it against the wall. Soon, other demons came out from under the table, behind the counter, from outside, and started attacking the two.  
  
"Find your grandmother!" Inuyasha yelled above the noise, and swung his fist to knock seven more rat demons against the wall.  
  
Kagome nodded and went into the kitchen. She saw her grandmother leaning against a wall, and her stomach churned. 'Kiwako isn't dead, is she?' The girl ran to her grandmother, and was blocked by an invisible barrier. "Gramma." she said, and to her relief, she saw the elderly woman open her eyes.  
  
"Kagome?" Kiwako said unbelievingly, "You weren't killed?" The barrier disappeared, allowing Kagome to kneel next to her grandmother.  
  
"I was so worried about you!" Kagome cried.  
  
"There there.I'm unhurt." Kiwako said, and patted her granddaughter's shoulder.  
  
"Grandma Kiwako!" another voice yelled, and they looked at the doorway to see Sango, who ran to them. "You're alive!"  
  
"Of course I am, I have holy powers too! It's not like an old woman like me can't defend herself!" the grandmother muttered. "All of the demons are gone." That was more of a statement than a question. Kagome and Sango nodded.  
  
"Lady Kagome, Lady Sango, could both of you help me assist the wounded? Inuyasha is chasing the other demons away.err...I mean he's killing them." Miroku said from the doorway. The girls stood up and after making sure their grandmother was safe, they exited the restaurant.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The next morning, all of the remaining villagers gave proper burial for the dead. Miroku calmly prayed in front of each grave, and the village girls placed a flower on each of the mounds. Sango didn't cry, but if anyone looked into eyes, they showed despair. Kagome stifled a sob, and not so subtly wiped a tear away from her eyes. She looked around for Inuyasha, who was nowhere to be seen, but he was probably sitting in a nearby tree, brooding on the fact that he was too slow at arriving to save the helpless.  
  
By afternoon, all of the dead were buried and prayed for, and Miroku had left already. As Kagome sat next to the mound of a baby, she thought sadly, 'This one's probably the one I heard yesterday night.' Then a shadow loomed over her, and she turned around, startled at seeing who the owner of the shadow was.  
  
"Are you the granddaughter of Kiwako?" the short and plump man asked. As Kagome stood up, she realized that he barely reached her nose.  
  
"Uh.yes.and who are you?" she asked.  
  
The plump man straightened his back, as if trying to appear taller, but he failed. He coughed and haughtily said, "I'm the landlord of your restaurant. Part of my house had been smashed by demons from the demon attack that took place yesterday. To pay for the rebuilding of my house, I am raising the rent for the restaurant."  
  
Kagome was suddenly aback, she didn't think the landlord would be that mean. It was obvious that part of the restaurant was destroyed as well, so they had the same problem. "Eh.okay.raised by how much?"  
  
The landlord looked at a piece of paper he had written on, and replied, "I'm raising the rent price by 5000 yen."  
  
'That's half of what the wealthy people are offering for Sango and my capture!!' Kagome thought angrily. That greedy landlord, he couldn't pay to rebuild his home, so he's relying on the money from his tenants! She hid her anger and said, "We'll pay it." When the landlord nodded and turned to walk back to his home, Kagome stuck her tongue at his direction and glared.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Kagome told Sango what had happened, and the two told it to their grandmother. "We need to earn the money quickly.the end of the month is approaching." Kiwako said while pacing around the kitchen. After a few minutes of silence, she looked at her granddaughters and stated, "The only solution I can think of is making the restaurant smaller, but then we still won't be able to pay for the rent."  
  
Kagome looked at Sango, who was looking at the setting sun. She was probably thinking the same thing as Kagome was: that they could steal from the wealthy again, and keep the money for themselves this time. Since they're about to be broke, that counted as being poor too, right? But no, Kiwako would think it was suspicious how her granddaughters quickly obtained money in a day. "You two can go to Shikon City to work. The lord of this province pays a large sum for his workers." Kiwako said.  
  
"What? No! Grandmother, we need to stay with you! Who will tend the restaurant if we're gone?" Sango asked. She disliked the thought of leaving the village, where she had lived in for more than fifteen years.  
"No, Sango, you and Kagome will both leave. I'll start cooking for the restaurant by myself. I'm not the slow old woman I seem to be." The grandmother gently told her, and tried to smile. "Now pack up, the two of you will be leaving tomorrow.no buts."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
There! Finally done with Chapter 2! I haven't been doing nothing! ( I promise I won't change it anymore! Big thanks to Xenophile (who gave me lots of pokes to get me starting on this chapter) and Jazzy (who corrected all my grammar mistakes!) 


	3. Chapter Three: Journey

Daytime, Nighttime Chapter 3: Journey Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, so nobody can sue me  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Kagome and Sango were packed up in a few minutes; they brought only two sets of clothes and and a few weapons. Before sunrise, Sango was already outside the house with her pack and boomerang. Kagome ran out with her pack, bow and arrows, and a box filled with sushi.  
  
"What's for dinner, Sango?"  
  
Sango looked up from her cooking and replied, "Noodles...we're running low on our food supply, Kagome." She said, and looked worriedly at the basket of food they had brought with them.  
  
"It's not that bad, right? We'll be reaching Shikon by tomorrow." she tried to encourage her cousin.  
  
"No we aren't." Sango muttered and grabbed a bowl, "At the rate we're traveling, we'll get there in four more days."  
  
Kagome's eyes widened, "But our food will run out by tomorrow! Oh my gosh! What if we starve to death? I'm too young for this!! I don't want to die from starvation! Heck, I don't wanna die, period!! What if wolves find my corpse and eat me up? What if---"  
  
Her cousin rolled her eyes and grimly filled the bowl with udon. Within a few minutes, another bowl was filled and Sango said, "Dinner is served."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The next afternoon, Kagome's youkai senses started tingling. She got an arrow ready on her bow and told Sango to un-shoulder her boomerang. "It seems like there are snake youkai approaching." She stated.  
  
"Mmmm.I sense them now. I think there are four.try beheading them, that's their weakness." Sango said. Kagome nodded and stretched her bowstring while looking around. Suddenly, a snake youkai shot out from behind a tree, and another came from above. Kagome screamed and shot the arrow in the process, missing the snake by a few feet. The second arrow killed it, though. Another youkai landed on the ground and lunged at Sango who knocked it away with the Hiraikotsu. More snake youkai were appearing from behind the trees, and Kagome had a sinking feeling that they had encountered a youkai colony.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Miroku and Inuyasha were walking towards Shikon City when they heard a high pitched scream. "I think we should investigate that."stated Miroku, and walked back towards the village where the scream came from.  
  
"Feh!" Inuyasha replied, and followed his friend---they were in no rush to get to Shikon City.  
  
As they reached the location of the scream, Inuyasha realized that they were near a colony of snake youkai. He lunged into the colony and fought his way to the center, where he smelled the scent of humans. When he got there, he was surprised to see Sango fighting with a demon bone, and Kagome surrounded in a pink light. "Kagome!" he yelled, and saw her turn her head towards him. Sango and Miroku were still battling the remaining demons, and weren't many.  
  
Kagome hysterically burst into tears when she saw him, babbling sentences like 'I thought we were dead meat' and 'I'm hallucinating'. She collapsed onto the ground and started crying. Inuyasha didn't know what to do, so he knelt next to Kagome and awkwardly hugged her to him.  
  
Behind him, Sango was yelling at Miroku about how he didn't have to push her out of the demon's way, and that she could've jumped away from it herself. "You stupid pervert! You pushed me away on purpose to cop a feel!"  
  
Miroku was dodging her blows and yelling in protest, "Honestly! I didn't mean it! My hand slipped!"  
  
Inuyasha felt Kagome slump against him and realized that she had fainted. "Oi! Will you two stop bickering and gimme a hand here? Kagome's knocked out!" He yelled, and received a glare from Sango. Miroku, on the other hand, was gratefully nodding and walked towards him. "Why don't you let me help you carry---"  
  
"No---you are NOT touching my cousin---or else." Sango said loudly while brandishing her boomerang in a rather violent manner.  
  
The monk hastily retreated and made sure that Sango could hear him say, "I'll go find a clearing for us to stay in tonight."  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Kagome woke up the next morning to find a red cloak draped on her. She sat up to see her cousin passing the box of sushi to Miroku while preparing some more food for them---the box of sushi wasn't enough to feed four people. Inuyasha was sitting on a high branch in the tree next to her, with one foot dangling; he had taken off his cloak to be used as Kagome's blanket.  
  
"She's awake!" she heard Sango say. Above her she heard a branch creak as Inuyasha jumped down.  
  
Kagome handed the cloak to the hanyou and said, "Thank you, Inuyasha-- -for the cloak and for saving me."  
  
The dog-demon grabbed the cloak and replied, "Feh."  
  
Kagome took that as a 'your welcome' and started eating the food that Sango had given her.  
  
"And Kagome.we do not need to worry about our food supply. Miroku brought some with him, and he says that Inuyasha is willing to hunt." The said hanyou seemed annoyed, but he didn't say anything.  
  
"We should continue to Shikon, Lady Kagome and Sango." Miroku said. The girls nodded and followed the priest.  
  
The day passed quickly, and the group did not encounter any obstacles. It was nighttime, and Kagome was cooking. She had decided that they needed to eat some vegetables, and picked some of the mushrooms growing in the area they were at. The mushrooms were now chopped up and floating in a bubbling pot of water a few feet above the fire.  
  
"You haven't cooked in a long time, Kagome, are you sure you know how to make mushroom soup?" Sango asked.  
  
"I'm sure I remember, but I don't know if I put enough of everything.maybe I should've added less salt." Kagome said and frowned.  
  
A hand took her spoon away, and she looked to see Sango ladle some soup into a bowl. "I'll test the food then, and tell you if it's good or not." Said her cousin, and Sango took a sip. She made a choking noise and said, "The mushroom's scent is a little bit too strong, but other wise it's okay." She finished the bowl of soup and told Kagome, "Maybe you should sweeten it too, it's kind of bitter."  
  
Kagome nodded and added a pinch of sugar into the pot. "Is that enough su---Sango! What happened?!" she yelled when she saw Sango stagger backwards.  
  
Miroku had gotten to Sango before Kagome did, and he asked, "What did you eat?"  
  
"Do not eat those mushrooms.I'm feeling a little---" Sango didn't get to finish her sentence---her eyes closed and she fell into the priest's arms.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Author's Note: Well, I'm finished with this chapter, I think I'll be able to post the other one in a week. Wish I could work faster, but nope, I can't. -_-'  
  
Big thanks to Xenophile and Jazzy, who work very hard on correcting my grammar mistakes and other stuff. 


	4. Chapter Four: Fevered Sleep

Daytime, Nighttime Chapter 4- Fevered Sleep  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The group was confined in the miserable accommodations of a cave. Kagome was sobbing hysterically while Inuyasha sniffed the pot of soup; Miroku leaned against a wall of the cave, in deep thought; Sango laid, still unconscious, on a blanket spread out on the floor.  
  
"I know what this is!" Inuyasha exclaimed suddenly, "It's one of those mushrooms that induce sleep! I used one of those on a servant as a prank when I was little."  
  
After hearing Inuyasha's exclamation, Kagome broke out of her hysteria and asked, "Really? Then you know how to cure it? Or is it incurable? What happened to the servant?"  
  
"How should I know what happened to that gullible fool? I was sent to my room right after the servant fainted and was sent to the doctors!"  
  
Kagome sighed and sat on the floor. "I knew I shouldn't have picked those mushrooms, but they looked just like the edible type!"  
  
"Feh, stupid wench, you should be glad you didn't poison us all." Muttered Inuyasha, and for the first time in many days, Kagome didn't argue with him. He changed a look at her, and noticed that she was staring dejectedly at the ground.  
  
'He's right, I'm really useless, aren't I? I couldn't even defend myself against those snake youkai.' Kagome thought, 'Now I couldn't even distinguish a poisonous mushroom from an edible one!' the grey-eyed girl glanced at her cousin, 'it's all my fault.'  
  
"Why don't you and Inuyasha go and fetch some firewood?" said Miroku, breaking the silence, "Some cold water would help too. I think Sango's starting to get a fever."  
  
Kagome scrambled to her cousin's side and placed a hand on Sango's forehead. "She is.I'll go get the water." She grabbed her weapons and a bucket and promptly left the cave. Inuyasha, though, did not budge from his position.  
  
Miroku poked at the dying fire and said pointedly, "The fire's dying.it needs more wood."  
  
"Feh, I'll get it later, the wood is just outside the cave. Plus, I don't think the wench's cousin would be happy if I left you alone with her."  
  
"I don't stoop as low as groping a woman when she's defenseless. And, didn't you notice that Lady Kagome has left the cave alone? Unless I'm wrong, I'm sure there still are youkai in this forest."  
  
"Shit! Dammit! I forgot! Stupid bouzou, why didn't you say so earlier?" With that last sentence, he dashed out of the cave to find Kagome. 'She's probably already lost', he thought irritably.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Inuyasha had no idea how right he was.  
  
Kagome stumbled in the forest, with only the moon for her source of light. 'How could I be so stupid? I forgot to bring a candle! And now I got myself lost!' She inwardly sighed, and strained her ears for the sound of running water. No sound. 'It's not safe to be in a forest full of youkai by myself.' Kagome thought, and it made her nervous.  
  
An owl hooted somewhere nearby, and the girl stepped back in surprise. She tripped over fallen branch behind her and landed unceremoniously on her rear. "Darn!" she said, and fingered the rip on the hem of her green yukata.  
  
A branch cracked nearby and Kagome turned her head to the direction of the sound. She fitted an arrow onto her bow and took aim at the bushes. The object in question rustled, and knowing that the wind couldn't have done it, she fired the arrow. A figure dodged the arrow and leapt towards her. There wasn't enough time to get another arrow onto her bow, so she whipped out a dagger from her sleeve. Before she could use it, though, a clawed hand caught her wrist and she screamed out of reflex.  
"Stupid bitch, you could've poked my eye out with that dagger." A familiar voice said.  
  
"Well if you'd just tell me who you were, I wouldn't have tried attacking you!" Kagome yelled at Inuyasha, who snorted.  
  
"Not like any of your blows would hurt. Come on, I know where the water is." After handing her the bucket on the ground, they marched towards the stream.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
It was a long time since Kagome and Inuyasha left the cave, and they weren't back yet. How hard could it be to find a stream? Miroku felt Sango's forehead, and it was still hot.  
  
Sango's mumbled something, and Miroku asked, "Are you alright?" She was saying unintelligible words.  
  
"Was a fly on your head." she said. It was obvious that she was dreaming about the past, and talking in her sleep. Miroku remembered the first thing she said to him, and it was very sarcastic. *  
  
"Sango! You're just dreaming!" he said, and shook her shoulder.  
  
Her eyes shot open and she yelled, "You bastard! How..." she started mumbling again, and the monk bent down, trying to hear what she was saying. Before he could hear anything though, her hand shot out and slapped him in the face.  
  
"What were you doing so close to me!?" Sango yelled. Obviously, she was wide awake now. She tried sitting up, but found that she had no strength to do so. "Where's Kagome? Don't tell me she and Inuyasha left me alone with YOU!?" she groaned.  
  
"Lady Sango, be reasonable, I promise I will not try to grope you." Miroku assured her, but he realized that she had fallen back to sleep.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Kagome sighed at losing the chance of washing in the stream, but her cousin came first, so she hauled the bucket off the ground while making sure none of the water spilled. "Let's go then." She said, and felt the bucket being lifted out of her hands and replaced with her bow and arrows.  
  
"I'll take the bucket; you look too weak to carry it." Inuyasha said gruffly, and Kagome didn't argue with him.  
  
They reached the cave in a few minutes of walking, and Kagome heard Sango's voice from inside the cave. 'She's recovering!' she thought happily, and ran into their shelter. "We have the---" she said, but stopped when she heard what Sango was saying.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Leave him alone.cowards!" Sango was saying deliriously, "Idiot should I fight first?"  
  
Miroku gently shook her shoulder and said, "You're dreaming again, Lady Sango, wake up."  
  
"You'll get killed!! Kagome don't attack him!" Miroku listened with interest. If Sango was dreaming about her past, he wanted to know how they got into the fight.  
  
"We have the---" Kagome was saying, and Miroku turned around just in time for her to see the girl drop her bow and arrows and rush to Sango's side. "Sango! You're delirious!" she said, and urgently shook her cousin. She was afraid that Sango might accidentally reveal that they were thieves.  
  
"From heaven."  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Author's note: *In case some people forgot, the first thing Sango said to Miroku was: "So sorry, I thought there was a fly on your head." And that was after he groped Kagome and she hit him.  
  
Anyway, what Sango was saying was parts of chapters one and two.  
  
Big thanks to Xenophile and Jazzy, who keep on correcting my mistakes! 


End file.
